The most recent update to InDesign CC is worth the slow install time! As adobe introduces intuitive OpenType enhancements when working with glyphs. The Improvements enable quick review and application of alternate glyphs and special characters, such as small caps, fractions, superscript and subscript characters as well as a search function in the glyphs palette.

After the install I noticed pop-up frames with contextual suggestions for characters as I was typesetting numerals - It wasnt until I started digging around the Adobe website I found the new functions outlined in this tutorial. It is as easy as highlighting a characterin your text to see if alternate glyphs exist in the OpenType font you wish to use. The pop-up prompts show all the suggested alternates for the selected glyph. Click (or arrow down and enter on a keyboard) to apply it. For ligatures and fractions just select the multiple characters and follow the same steps. Its super easy.

The search function is equally handy - I know in some fonts scrolling through the the glyph panel to search for a particular character can take some time (particularly given the volume of glyphs available in some fonts). So next time youre looking for an interrobang; Select the font you want to search from the drop down menu at the bottom of the panel and type interrobang into the search bar and let Indesign do the leg work for you!